


Sorry-Grateful

by missdibley



Series: East Of The Sun, West Of The Moon [11]
Category: Magnus Martinsson - Fandom, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, Wallander (UK TV), Wallander - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Marriage, Stay-at-Home Dad, Valentine's Day, wallander - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 06:39:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5995285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missdibley/pseuds/missdibley
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Former detective Magnus Martinsson and his baby daughter Maggy spend a quiet Valentine's Day morning at home while his wife Halla is at the office.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sorry-Grateful

_Everything's different  
_ _Nothing's changed_  
_Only maybe slightly rearranged_  
Stephen Sondheim, “Sorry-Grateful”

* * *

Magnus woke up one February morning to find himself alone in bed. Though it was just past 8:00, he knew his wife Halla was already at work. She had never been a morning person, but her new position at a high profile tech incubator downtown called for early meetings. The sight of the previous day’s dress and heels reminded him that occasionally there were after-work networking cocktail hours as well.

There came a squeak from the ergonomic baby monitor on the nightstand. Magnus grinned, stretched, then eased himself out of bed. He shuffled down the hall to the nursery, pulling on an old sweatshirt from his days as a young cadet.

The nearly two year old Magnolia Bettina Martinsson had pulled herself up to her feet, gripping the rail of her crib in one hand while clutching a stuffed elk in the other. When she saw her father come in, Maggy stamped her feet on the mattress in excitement.

“Good morning, my Maggy.” Magnus laughed when she squealed at the sound of her own name. He changed her diaper and pajamas quickly, tried but failed to comb her messy head of hair into presentable curls, then brought her downstairs for breakfast.

The dining room table was set for two, with Maggy’s favorite bowl full of Cheerios set just so on a pink heart-shaped placemat. A container of her favorite yogurt sat in a little cup of ice, waiting to be spooned into her mouth. Magnus’s plate held a square pink box from Stan’s Donuts in Wicker Park. There was also a stainless steel carafe of coffee waiting to be poured into his mug.

Magnus poured the coffee and made Maggy her bottle before seating them at the table. He opened the box to find one absurdly large red velvet doughnut topped with cream cheese frosting. He set the tiniest bite of it on Maggy’s placemat, then read the note stuck to the inside of the lid.

_Sweets for my sweethearts. Sorry I missed bedtime last night. I’ll bring dinner._

In reply, Magnus texted a picture of Maggy licking cream cheese frosting off her chubby hand. He smiled when his phone rang.

“Does she like the doughnut?” He could hear the smile in Halla’s voice.

“I would say so, the frosting being the best bit as you can see. How’s work?”

Halla stifled a yawn. “Very good, but all these morning meetings! I don’t think I’ve ever talked to so many people. Listened to all these CEO’s and CFO’s business-speak. And then there are the politicians who stop by for photo ops.”

“It sounds very glamorous, _käraste_ ,” offered Magnus.

“Yeah, but is it good? Is this what I’m meant to be doing? Sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to have an existential crisis on the phone.”

“No need to be sorry, love. We can talk about it.”

“No. I just need to clear my head. Go for a walk, and I’ll be fine. You?”

Magnus shrugged, smiling when Maggy imitated him. “We’re good. I think I’ll take Maggy to the petting zoo. It’s warm enough for that.”

“Yes. That sounds nice but… how are _you_ doing?”

Magnus closed his eyes for a moment. “I feel idle. Finished work on some cases for INTERPOL. And I don’t have anything new. Kurt said he’d email if he had anything that could use an extra investigator.”

“Something will come, baby. Something good. It just takes time.”

“I know.” Magnus smiled. “Halla?”

“Yeah?”

“I miss you.”

Halla’s laugh was gentle in his ear. “What do you mean?”

“I miss having breakfast with you. I miss… racing you to the bathroom in the morning.”

“Tsk! I told you we should have gotten the double vanity!”

“Seriously, love. Being with you, just the two of us in the morning before Maggy’s up and you have to leave for the office. Or at night, listening to the Beatles before you take me upstairs and ravish me until dawn.”

“Oh, me ravishing you? Is that right?” Magnus laughed when she did.

“Yeah. Just… I’m so proud of you and your career. But I won’t deny I miss the Halla who couldn’t get out of bed before 9 am.”

“Well, I had you in there with me. Could you blame me?”

“No, I don’t suppose I could.” Magnus smiled at the baby. “You want to talk to her?”

“Of course.” Magnus made sure Maggy’s hands were clean, then handed her the phone. Maggy gripped it, babbling at the sound of her mother’s voice. When Halla said “I love you, Maggy! I miss you!” she replied with “Lub yuuuu! Miss yuuuu! My miss you! My miss you!”

Magnus wiped a tear from his eye, picking up the phone when Maggy surrendered it in exchange for another blob of frosting.

“I love you,” whispered Halla. “I won’t be late tonight. I promise.”

“Of course, love.” Magnus nodded. “We’ll be here.”

* * *

Magnus and Maggy had so much fun at the Lincoln Park Petting Zoo he decided they should stay for lunch. A meal in the food court was a treat for the baby, who liked watching other children running around. Their shouts echoed in the room, and she joined the rumpus after a few bites of mac and cheese. He let her scamper after them until she began to rub her eyes, a sure sign she was ready for a good nap.

Magnus thought about doing some reading once they were home, Maggy safely tucked into her crib with her elk and her favorite blanket. But she looked so peaceful, he thought a nap would be good for him too. The bed was so big and soft he crawled to the center and stretched out. He had only been out for a few minutes when all of a sudden he felt the mattress dip. Magnus rolled over, right into the soft, sweet-smelling arms of his wife.

“Hey.” Halla was lying in bed next to him, her fingers reaching up to trail over his lips. “Good nap?”

“I was just about to drift off and then somebody decided to interrupt.” He opened his eyes. “Is it dinner time already? Is Maggy up?”

“No. It’s only just half past one. I cancelled my afternoon appointments. There weren’t many, as it’s a holiday on Monday. Lots of people took off. I got a taxi home.” Halla nuzzled his chest. “Did you have any plans?”

“Well, after this nap, I was going to get Maggy up for some reading. New York Times, The Economist.” He shrugged. “The usual stuff for a toddler.”

“And how was the toddler? Did she behave herself?”

“Apart from a little meltdown when I told her she couldn’t take home a pig from the petting zoo, she was perfect.” Magnus kissed the corner of Halla’s mouth. “She had a nice run around the food court, tired herself out.”

“She’ll sleep for a nice long time, then.” Halla nipped at his jaw, then slipped a hand up the back of his neck to tug on the soft curls at the nape. “And will you?”

“Will I what?” Magnus kissed Halla hard, slipping his tongue inside her warm mouth. She didn’t resist when he pushed her back, helping him slip off her sweater.

“Will you sleep yourself? Oh!” Halla squealed, relishing the sensation of Magnus’s warm hands as they slid down her body to tug off her skirt.

“No. No sleep. Not now. Not when I have you.” Magnus knelt between Halla’s legs, clad in black thigh-high wool tights. He loved the sight of her hand trailing over her breasts as he took off his shirt.

“Not when I need you.” He moved up, lying on top of her and just allowing them enough space to finish undressing.

“Not…” Magnus kissed her again, his hands getting tangled in her dark hair while below her legs began to wrap around his waist. She tightened the grasp of her hands on his hips.

“Not,” he sighed in her ear. “Not when I love you.”


End file.
